Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Cleaning Copic out of fabrics

I am off to Utah today to teach the certification class for Thursday. It should be a great bunch of people at that class. I can't wait!

Meanwhile, I wanted to post something rather useful. If you have ever spilled Copic ink on your clothes or accidentally dropped a marker on your favorite new blouse then you've noticed how permanent Copics are. I have the solution for you.

Cleaning Marker Ink off FabricIf you try touching the spot with Colorless Blender you will thin out the color but it will also cause the spot to spread. That's not good. Especially on dark ink colors it will make a bigger mess (ask me how I know).

What we use at the warehouse and we swear by is Grandma's Secret Spot Remover. This stuff works great! I discovered it about 3 years ago at CHA and I figured it would be good for removing coffee stains but lo and behold it works on inks as well. Now every year I go back to their booth and thank them for making this stuff. We have 3 bottles floating around the warehouse at any time and I have 2 at home. Thank You for saving some of my favorite clothes!!!

What I do:• Put a folded paper towel under the stained area. Add tiny amounts of colorless blender to remove as much ink as possible without spreading around too much (the paper towel will suck up a lot). Be sure you aren't just transferring the ink to another layer of fabric!

• Add a dab of Grandma's spot remover. Let it sit for a while (10-15 mins. is good), then wash your clothes on their regular setting. If you still see a hint of color then repeat.

When we spill at work sometimes we just put it on, wait 10 mins. , do a quick rinse in the bathroom, add a dab more, and then continue wearing the clothes until we get home to really wash it. It works on coffee and rust as well as Copic. I know our warehouse workers love this stuff.

This takes care of most light to medium colored blobs. I spilled black ink on my favorite light khakis and after two washes it was faded to only a tiny hint of blue (equal to about a B00). Even that came out eventually. (sorry- I never took photos and now I don't know where the stain is).

Disclaimer: I can't guarantee this will work on all fabrics or with all colors, but we've had really good success over the years. The least you can do is try it to see if it works. If this helps you salvage just one shirt then it's totally worth it. If you've tried it or found another solution then please leave a comment on this post!

Meanwhile, I will not be posting much while I am out of town, so I'll see you next week.

Salt Lake Make 'n TakesJust a reminder, if you are in the Salt Lake Area come visit me at one of my events on Friday or Saturday. Each store I visit will have some doorprizes of NEW Spica colors, so come and check those out!!

Thank you SO much for the tip! There used to be a good ink remover on the market, but they stopped making it and I have been searching for a replacement for years. I have several pair of pants that have a swipe of pen across them from work that I now hope to rehabilitate!

Thank you so much for your wonderful demo at the Heartland Paper Company in Taylorsville tonight! I had heard so much about Copic markers on blogs, but had never seen them or tried them. I loved being able to use them and buy some! You are so talented with your wonderful artwork! Thanks again for my new obsession!!Have a good day~ Marianne Nattress

About Me

I am the North American Product Director for Copic Markers, working at Imagination International, Inc. I have written 4 books on coloring with Copics in conjunction with Colleen Schaan. I used to design stamps for Our Craft Lounge. The things I post on this blog are my personal opinions or techniques I have come across over the years- I will try to give credit where credit is due. These ramblings do not necessarily reflect the general opinions of Copic Markers/Imagination International Inc.
my direct e-mail is marianne@copicmarker.com

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Copic Glossary

ABS/Airbrush System- Copic Airbrush System. Works with either a compressor or Copic aircans. Uses either Sketch or Copic Markers. 1234TroubleshootingAlcohol Markers- Copic markers are alcohol (ethanol) based dye markers, that are known for being low-odor and giving smooth, vibrant colors. Since they are a dye, they will fade in bright lights, but they are acid free on most surfaces. Anything with alcohol in it will react with these inks. Any Copic marker type is refillable with replaceable tips. They will not cause paper to pill when going over it many times, nor will they dissolve photocopies.

Color Saturation- This is the first digit on a color name. Colors that are 00's, 10's, or 20's will be more vibrant (B05, G16, R29), while colors that are in the 70's, 80's or 90's have more gray added (B95, BG78, G94) and are closer to the neutral/earthy end of the color spectrum. Note: E (Earth) markers don't necessarily follow this rule.

Color Group- A sequential group of colors within one color family with the same first digit (i.e. E30, E31, E33, E34, E35, E37, E39) where numbers ending in 0 are the lightest and 9 is the darkest, also called Natural Blending Group

Copic Certification- These are classes for teachers, store owners, or designers who want to learn techniques and advanced tips on using Copic markers, Airbrushing, etc. for papercrafting. Each class is about 7 hrs, and will be held regionally. Check here for listings of upcoming classes.

Spica Glitter Pens - also called atyou Spica pens. These fun, pigment based pens are filled with micro glass flakes, giving a very subtle, elegant sparkle. Keep stored flat, though if they are giving you troubles, try storing them point down overnite.

Various Ink- Also called Refill Ink or Re-inkers. Each bottle holds 25 cc's of ink. 322 colors available, empty bottle for mixing custom colors also available. Great for making alcohol ink effects, such as Faux Stone or covering large areas. When you see streaking in your work it's time to refill. You can refill directly from your bottle of ink, or you can use a booster needle. Try not to overfill.For refilling dry markers:Ciao- add 1 to 1.5 cc's ink Sketch- 2 cc's Copic 2-3 cc's Wide 3-4 cc's

Using this site for Classes

The content from each post is intended as tutorials and directions as well as useful information. If you would like to use these tutorials in a workshop you are more than welcome to, just give credit to this blog site and other suppliers mentioned in each post.

Thank You!

Marianne

Color Disclaimer

Colors on the screen do not match colors printed in color charts, and neither will match the marker colors in real life. To get a feel of what the colors will look like it's best if you get an actual color swatch.

To request a printed color chart, general catalog, Stamping with Copic Brochure, or Airbrushing with Copic Brochure you can e-mail orders@copicmarker.com (remember, printed charts aren't accurate)

Save a tree, get it digital!For digital copies of the above brochures please look through the Copic Library. Don't see what you need? e-mail me at marianne@copicmarker.com

Check the library also for refilling guides, airbrushing set-ups, and other useful literature.

Copic Fine Art Instructors

Click here to purchase your favorite Copic Products

Books by Marianne Walker

Shadows & Shading: A beginner's guide to lighting placementThis book is for teaching you where to accurately put shadows and highlights when coloring with any medium. Includes clear lighting guides to help you plan where to place your shadows & highlights. Distributed by Copic/Imagination International, Inc.

Copic Coloring GuideWritten by Colleen Schaan & Marianne Walker. This is a beginner book for those interested in papercrafting and learning basic techniques for using Copic Markers. Published by Annie's Attic/DRG

Copic Coloring Guide Level 2: NatureWritten by Colleen Schaan & Marianne Walker. This is is the second in the series. Learn techniques for coloring things in nature. For papercrafters. Published by Annie's Attic/DRG

Copic Coloring Guide Level 3: PeopleWritten by Colleen Schaan & Marianne Walker. This is is the third in the series. Learn techniques for coloring people, hair, and clothing. For papercrafters. Published by Annie's Publishing

Check your local store for these books, otherwise they are available at many popular online retailers.